Celebrations and Challenges of Using an ILS Sara I.de Freitas (2006) raises the issue of definitions when it comes to the difference between simulations and games. What is the difference between a simulation and a game, and is there a difference. She distinguishes that games are played out with certain rules at specific times and locations, whereas simulations are more flexible and allow for variables that can affect the outcome of the learning experience. The question is “why do some people fear it when it comes to education?” Many feel that games should not be used in class for teaching however, what they do not realize is that they would be using simulations rather than games to teach the content. Immersive Learning Systems (ILS) allow for a world of possibilities that can take children into a scenario rather than having them imagine it through pictures from books. An ILS can afford teachers the opportunity to take students on field trips every day. It is very similar to the show “Magic School Bus”, where Ms. Frizzle can take children to many unique places just by having them get on the bus. ILS’s can give teachers the power to morph the students into anything and explore the world.
Dunleavy, Dede, and Mitchell (2008) indicate that there are several types of interfaces and expression that students are currently using to get education and experiment with software. The interface that we primarily are focusing on is the Multi-user virtual environment (MUVE). This type of environment allows user to interact through a computer of some variety and visit environments that cannot be seen on a regular basis by students. Second Life is a prime example of this type of environment, but it is not the only way students can be educated digitally. Augmented Reality (AR) is a series of mobile devices that allow students to travel through the real, physical world while looking at virtual objects appear in the virtual world. So it would be comparable to walking around in Second Life finding tokens, except you would be walking around your local town discovering hidden virtual coins. This has implications for today’s world with the problem of childhood obesity and several other issues. These two issues are at the forefront when parents think about technology and their children. They are worried that their child will have no friends and be overweight because they do not get outside to play. However, AR helps to combat these problems and still make education the priority. Students would be able to exercise and socialize at the same time. These issues are only a few of the problems that technology is facing as it makes it way further into the education realm.
Challenges
There are several challenges that can impede the process of implementing ILS’s in the classroom. The first major limitation is the fear that people have of using technology for education. It will be hard to get those who are rooted in the traditional methods to expand and introduce technology into their curriculum. Technology has changed significantly over the past several decades and the learner has adapted to using this new technology and embraced it. If the learner is ready for the change, why prevent it from happen? A recent study showed that students who used immersive learning had significantly higher gains than those who received traditional instruction (Vogel, Vogel, Bowers, Bowers, Muse, &Wright, 2006). The solution to this limitation could come in many forms. The first is that older teachers who are digital immigrants may need to just run the course of their careers and move on, leaving room for new teachers and new methods. The second solution could be that universities start educating their graduates in the methods of virtual worlds and immersive learning. Either way it will take a significant change in methodology to overcome this hurdle.
Another significant challenge is the time commitment needed in order to create an environment. From the design, to the pilot testing, and finally the debugging process can be a pain-staking experience that can lead to several weeks or months of work. For many teachers, that can be too much of a commitment. It is already hard enough to design and execute a traditional lecture and course, so transferring it to an ILS would be asking a great deal. However, this limitation could create an opportunity for a lot of people who have the skills to create and design in simulation worlds. For example, just like many schools have a curriculum coordinator, they could create a virtual world coordinator who could be charged with the task of creating the electronic classrooms and scenarios that teachers would need.
Another major challenge of games and simulations is trying to connect the virtual world to the real world. In order for the learning to be real and effective it must connect to what students already know and relate to. This is even more so an issue for a traditional classroom. In a traditional setting it is hard to relate the material without the immersive learning environment. So the solution appears to be that if you put students in an ILS they will automatically gain a better knowledge. However, when designing an ILS it can be hard to distinguish between the right amounts of education versus the amounts of entertainment. So although the ILS may look like the solution for traditional classrooms, educators must proceed with caution.
Foster’s article (2007) also lists several negative points about the implementation of Second Life at the university level. The most intriguing point that was made was that universities have a hard enough time maintaining a website let alone a full blown simulation experience that needs to be monitored. Many universities are being to start their own islands with the help of The New Media Consortium, a nonprofit higher-education technology group. (Foster, 2007). This is curious because this group believes that if they pump money into universities for ILS projects then there will be a benefit. However, many people are wondering, is it really worth investing the money in this type of simulation if the reward is often not very evident?
Celebrations
The other side of the debate has facts that promote the use of ILS in education and believe that it is a worthwhile venture. While getting my master’s degree at IUP I took a class that primarily focused on the topic of Entertainment Education and its effects and uses in today’s modern culture. I found that many of the articles and debates that I am reading are showcasing many of the similar qualities that are at the heart of the entertainment education debate. The question that needs to be answered is “what is the right blend of education and entertainment?” Many believe that there should be more education and less entertainment and vice versa. I see this issue currently being debated when it comes to ILS. Many feel that the educational value of ILS is not very good because of the amount of entertainment that takes place. Andrea Foster’s article gives six examples of how Second Life is being used on college campuses, with all of the examples showing that student involvement is higher, more enthusiastic, and team-building than traditional methods (2007). Although, this is a small population, these six stories really do give an accurate portrayal of what is happening on campuses all across the country.
The reason that many students are becoming more excited about learning through programs like Second Life is that they have a stake in their education. The works of Malcolm Knowles and Jack Mezirow state that adults have needs when it comes to their education. For example, the material must be relevant, the learner should have ownership of their education, and the material must be presented to the learner at their pace. Second Life allows for this type of learner to occur, therefore, when college students begin working in world it allows them to fulfill these basic needs of adult education. One way that the learner takes ownership is through the creation of an avatar. This correlates to the representation of self inside a virtual world. Users are allowed to take on a different appearance/persona and exercise their true thoughts and feelings. While many users use these simulations for adult content purposes, the need to be you without feeling self-conscious trickles throughout every user of the game. In terms of education it can be very useful in the distance education aspect of learning. Often when taking some form of instruction online we can lose the connection that makes learning a social and team-building experience. By creating an avatar and being allowed to represent you, it helps to try and reclaim that lost group environment.
Although creating an avatar can be a freeing experience that allows for enhanced learning, social interaction, and at times a fun time, there are also many reasons that creating an avatar can be a negative thing. The amount of freedom that an avatar gives creates a sense that you can do anything in world and get away with it. This can lead students to find adult themed content and fall into that trap. It is very difficult for teachers and educators to track the whereabouts of all of their students in world. This draws attention to the other side of the debate and asks the question “is this really educational?”
Conclusions
There is no easy solution to the limitations and obstacles that ILS are facing. The good news for ILS is that the world is constantly gaining new technologies and we are relying on them more. As generations begin to age and the baby boomer generation fades out there should be a more receptive crowd who will be willing to enter an ILS. More research needs to be done on the benefits and effects of using an ILS, in order to rally support. The gateway that ILS need to use are the school districts because if you can tap into that it would give you one of the biggest markets in the country. There is a lot of work left to be done, but it looks like these innovative systems are heading down the right path. Works Cited Dunleavy, M., Dede, C., & Mitchell, R. (2009). Affordances and Limitations of Immersive Participatory Augmented Reality Simulations for Teaching and Learning. J Sci Educ Technol, 18, 7-22. de Freitas, S. I. (2006). Using Game and Simulations for Supporting Learning. Learning, Media and Technology, 31(4), 343-358. Foster, A. L. (2007, Sep 21 ). Professor Avatar.The Chronicle of Higher Education Haycock, K., & Kemp, J. W. (2008). Immersive Learning Environments in Parallel Universes: Learning through Second Life. School Libraries Worldwide, 14(2), 89-97. Vogel, J., Vogel, D. S., Cannon-Bowers, J., Bowers, C. A., Muse, K., & Wright, M. (2006). Computer Gaming and Interactive Simulations For Learning: A Meta-Analysis. J. EDUCATIONAL COMPUTING RESEARCH, 34(3), 229-243. Wexler, S., Aldrich, C., Johannigman, J., Oehlert, M., Quinn, C., & Barneveld, A. v. (2007). Immersive Learning Simulations: The demand for, and demands of, simulations, scenarios, and serious games. The eLearning Guild, -, 1-23, 271-332.
Sara I.de Freitas (2006) raises the issue of definitions when it comes to the difference between simulations and games. What is the difference between a simulation and a game, and is there a difference. She distinguishes that games are played out with certain rules at specific times and locations, whereas simulations are more flexible and allow for variables that can affect the outcome of the learning experience. The question is “why do some people fear it when it comes to education?” Many feel that games should not be used in class for teaching however, what they do not realize is that they would be using simulations rather than games to teach the content. Immersive Learning Systems (ILS) allow for a world of possibilities that can take children into a scenario rather than having them imagine it through pictures from books. An ILS can afford teachers the opportunity to take students on field trips every day. It is very similar to the show “Magic School Bus”, where Ms. Frizzle can take children to many unique places just by having them get on the bus. ILS’s can give teachers the power to morph the students into anything and explore the world.
Dunleavy, Dede, and Mitchell (2008) indicate that there are several types of interfaces and expression that students are currently using to get education and experiment with software. The interface that we primarily are focusing on is the Multi-user virtual environment (MUVE). This type of environment allows user to interact through a computer of some variety and visit environments that cannot be seen on a regular basis by students. Second Life is a prime example of this type of environment, but it is not the only way students can be educated digitally. Augmented Reality (AR) is a series of mobile devices that allow students to travel through the real, physical world while looking at virtual objects appear in the virtual world. So it would be comparable to walking around in Second Life finding tokens, except you would be walking around your local town discovering hidden virtual coins. This has implications for today’s world with the problem of childhood obesity and several other issues. These two issues are at the forefront when parents think about technology and their children. They are worried that their child will have no friends and be overweight because they do not get outside to play. However, AR helps to combat these problems and still make education the priority. Students would be able to exercise and socialize at the same time. These issues are only a few of the problems that technology is facing as it makes it way further into the education realm.
Challenges
There are several challenges that can impede the process of implementing ILS’s in the classroom. The first major limitation is the fear that people have of using technology for education. It will be hard to get those who are rooted in the traditional methods to expand and introduce technology into their curriculum. Technology has changed significantly over the past several decades and the learner has adapted to using this new technology and embraced it. If the learner is ready for the change, why prevent it from happen? A recent study showed that students who used immersive learning had significantly higher gains than those who received traditional instruction (Vogel, Vogel, Bowers, Bowers, Muse, &Wright, 2006). The solution to this limitation could come in many forms. The first is that older teachers who are digital immigrants may need to just run the course of their careers and move on, leaving room for new teachers and new methods. The second solution could be that universities start educating their graduates in the methods of virtual worlds and immersive learning. Either way it will take a significant change in methodology to overcome this hurdle.
Another significant challenge is the time commitment needed in order to create an environment. From the design, to the pilot testing, and finally the debugging process can be a pain-staking experience that can lead to several weeks or months of work. For many teachers, that can be too much of a commitment. It is already hard enough to design and execute a traditional lecture and course, so transferring it to an ILS would be asking a great deal. However, this limitation could create an opportunity for a lot of people who have the skills to create and design in simulation worlds. For example, just like many schools have a curriculum coordinator, they could create a virtual world coordinator who could be charged with the task of creating the electronic classrooms and scenarios that teachers would need.
Another major challenge of games and simulations is trying to connect the virtual world to the real world. In order for the learning to be real and effective it must connect to what students already know and relate to. This is even more so an issue for a traditional classroom. In a traditional setting it is hard to relate the material without the immersive learning environment. So the solution appears to be that if you put students in an ILS they will automatically gain a better knowledge. However, when designing an ILS it can be hard to distinguish between the right amounts of education versus the amounts of entertainment. So although the ILS may look like the solution for traditional classrooms, educators must proceed with caution.
Foster’s article (2007) also lists several negative points about the implementation of Second Life at the university level. The most intriguing point that was made was that universities have a hard enough time maintaining a website let alone a full blown simulation experience that needs to be monitored. Many universities are being to start their own islands with the help of The New Media Consortium, a nonprofit higher-education technology group. (Foster, 2007). This is curious because this group believes that if they pump money into universities for ILS projects then there will be a benefit. However, many people are wondering, is it really worth investing the money in this type of simulation if the reward is often not very evident?
Celebrations
The other side of the debate has facts that promote the use of ILS in education and believe that it is a worthwhile venture. While getting my master’s degree at IUP I took a class that primarily focused on the topic of Entertainment Education and its effects and uses in today’s modern culture. I found that many of the articles and debates that I am reading are showcasing many of the similar qualities that are at the heart of the entertainment education debate. The question that needs to be answered is “what is the right blend of education and entertainment?” Many believe that there should be more education and less entertainment and vice versa. I see this issue currently being debated when it comes to ILS. Many feel that the educational value of ILS is not very good because of the amount of entertainment that takes place. Andrea Foster’s article gives six examples of how Second Life is being used on college campuses, with all of the examples showing that student involvement is higher, more enthusiastic, and team-building than traditional methods (2007). Although, this is a small population, these six stories really do give an accurate portrayal of what is happening on campuses all across the country.
The reason that many students are becoming more excited about learning through programs like Second Life is that they have a stake in their education. The works of Malcolm Knowles and Jack Mezirow state that adults have needs when it comes to their education. For example, the material must be relevant, the learner should have ownership of their education, and the material must be presented to the learner at their pace. Second Life allows for this type of learner to occur, therefore, when college students begin working in world it allows them to fulfill these basic needs of adult education. One way that the learner takes ownership is through the creation of an avatar. This correlates to the representation of self inside a virtual world. Users are allowed to take on a different appearance/persona and exercise their true thoughts and feelings. While many users use these simulations for adult content purposes, the need to be you without feeling self-conscious trickles throughout every user of the game. In terms of education it can be very useful in the distance education aspect of learning. Often when taking some form of instruction online we can lose the connection that makes learning a social and team-building experience. By creating an avatar and being allowed to represent you, it helps to try and reclaim that lost group environment.
Although creating an avatar can be a freeing experience that allows for enhanced learning, social interaction, and at times a fun time, there are also many reasons that creating an avatar can be a negative thing. The amount of freedom that an avatar gives creates a sense that you can do anything in world and get away with it. This can lead students to find adult themed content and fall into that trap. It is very difficult for teachers and educators to track the whereabouts of all of their students in world. This draws attention to the other side of the debate and asks the question “is this really educational?”
Conclusions
There is no easy solution to the limitations and obstacles that ILS are facing. The good news for ILS is that the world is constantly gaining new technologies and we are relying on them more. As generations begin to age and the baby boomer generation fades out there should be a more receptive crowd who will be willing to enter an ILS. More research needs to be done on the benefits and effects of using an ILS, in order to rally support. The gateway that ILS need to use are the school districts because if you can tap into that it would give you one of the biggest markets in the country. There is a lot of work left to be done, but it looks like these innovative systems are heading down the right path.
Works Cited
Dunleavy, M., Dede, C., & Mitchell, R. (2009). Affordances and Limitations of Immersive Participatory Augmented Reality Simulations for Teaching and Learning. J Sci Educ Technol, 18, 7-22.
de Freitas, S. I. (2006). Using Game and Simulations for Supporting Learning. Learning, Media and Technology, 31(4), 343-358.
Foster, A. L. (2007, Sep 21 ). Professor Avatar. The Chronicle of Higher Education
Haycock, K., & Kemp, J. W. (2008). Immersive Learning Environments in Parallel Universes: Learning through Second Life. School Libraries Worldwide, 14(2), 89-97.
Vogel, J., Vogel, D. S., Cannon-Bowers, J., Bowers, C. A., Muse, K., & Wright, M. (2006). Computer Gaming and Interactive Simulations For Learning: A Meta-Analysis. J. EDUCATIONAL COMPUTING RESEARCH, 34(3), 229-243.
Wexler, S., Aldrich, C., Johannigman, J., Oehlert, M., Quinn, C., & Barneveld, A. v. (2007). Immersive Learning Simulations: The demand for, and demands of, simulations, scenarios, and serious games. The eLearning Guild, -, 1-23, 271-332.